1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a cutting device. Specifically, the device may be used to cut objects, including straps, ties, and paper, without the risk of injury to the operator.
2. Background
There are many situations where one needs to cut an object, such as a strap or tie, and must have reliability and safety. One example is the need to cut a plastic or nylon handcuff with safety for the user, such as a police officer, and safety for the subject, the person wearing the handcuffs. Another example is the need to cut plastic wire ties with safety for the person doing the cutting. Another example is the cutting of cardboard lids when opening cardboard boxes. Another example is the cutting of nylon or plastic banding material that is used by the shipping and packaging industry for palletizing materials together. In these situations, the user is better off with a cutter that provides full safety.
Current cutters usually consist of a handle and an open exposed razor blade. Many of these devices are formed of several shells that are hollow and are fixed to each other to form a hollow handle. The hinge is usually provided at one end of the shells while a blade mounting is arranged at the opposite end. The blade mounting holds a knife or razor blade so that it partially protrudes from the handle. Several of these devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,131,292 and 6,122,828.
The utility knives described in these patents and other cutters pose potential risk to the operator such as accidental cutting of the operator""s hand. In the case of the cutting plastic handcuffs off a subject, current cutters pose risk to the subject, including accidental cutting of the subject""s hand, and also pose risk to the police officer since the cutter might be used as a weapon against the police officer. Rather than the types of cutters used now which do not have fully protected guards to prevent accidents, a cutter is needed that provides safe cutting and provides a protected guard so that the cutter may not be used as a weapon.
Now there is provided by the present invention a cutting device for cutting objects. The cutting device may be safely used by an operator, such as a policeman cutting plastic handcuffs, and may not be used as a weapon against the operator.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a cutting device that aids an operator in safely cutting objects. These objects may include but are not limited to metal and plastic straps, metal and plastic ties, plastic handcuffs, paper straps, paper ties, tape, plastic wire, metal wire, rope, and fishing line. The device is light, portable and inexpensive.
One embodiment of the cutting device comprises a base, a pivot thruster attached to the base, and a cutting blade molded into the base. Opening of the pivot thruster allows for insertion of an object to be cut such as a plastic strip. The opening is not large enough, however, to use the cutting blade as a weapon. Insertion of the object to be cut, followed by closing of the pivot thruster results in safe cutting of the object.
A second embodiment of the cutting device comprises a base, a pivot thruster attached to the base, a cutting blade molded into the base, and a projection located on the base. Operation of the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment described hereinabove. The projection located on the base acts to split the cut object. This embodiment is well suited to the cutting of cardboard such as when opening the lids of cardboard boxes. Other aspects of the invention are disclosed below.